Railway truck



S. A. MATHEWS= RAILWAY TRUCK. APPLlCATION FILED JAN. 12, 1921.

Extented July H, 1922,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

S. A. MATHERS.

RAILWAY TRUCK. APPLICATION FILED JAN.12, 1921.

' Patented July 11, 1922.,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

, Cl im onus!) STATES.

SAMUEL A. MATl-IERS, OF CHILI ICOTHE, OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

RAILWAY TRUCK.

Patented J lly 11, 15922.

Application filed January 12, 1921. Serial No. 436,656.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that SAMUEL A. llla'rrrnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ghillicothe, in the county of Ross and State of Ohio, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Trucks, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention :relates'to improvements in railway trucks, and has for its object to provide a truck primarily adapted for use in conjunction with the rolling stock of rail ways which will be characterized by a strong and substantial construction, the accessibility of the various parts thereof and one wherein the likelihood of breaking or accidental displacement and dropping of parts will be reduced 'to a minimum.

In the majority of car trucks, it is customary to bolt the journal box pedestals to the associated frame structure, and as a result of this construction the pedestals frequently work loose from their positions of connection with the frame structure, a condition which results in allowing the pedestals to droop or to interfere with moving parts, and to thereby cause wrecks or other lesser accidents, The present invent-ion, therefore,

consists'in the provision of a truck. wherein the pedestals are secured to the frame without resorting to the use of bolts or other similar unsatisfactory fastening elements, the connection between the pedestals and the frames being primarily effected. by an improved joint construction, the latter being ofsuch construction that the pedestals will be firmly and positively maintained in their operative positions and removable fastening devices practically eliminated as an element in effecting their mounting.

Another object of the: invention rests in the provision of animproved brace ,construction bet-ween the lower portions of the pedestals and the intermediate portions of the truck frames. V r

lVith these andotller objects in view, as will appear asthe description proceeds, the invention accordingly consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements ofparts, hereinafter to be fully described and to have the scope thereof pointed out in the appended In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which similar characters of reference denote like and corresponding parts throughout the several views thereof:

Figure l is a side elevation of a truck constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a thereof.

Figure 3- is a vertical longitudinal. sectional view disclosing: the pedestal construction employed inv the truck and its associated braces. i

Figure l is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along the plane disclosed by the line il- 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a similar view taken along the line 55 of Figure3.

Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view of one of the pedestals. 7

Figure 7 is a similar view of-one of the pedestal braces.

fragmentary end elevation Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view 'disclosing the connection between the intermediate ends of the braces and the frame construction, and, r i Figure 9 is a tpp plan view of the construction disclosed in Figure 8. i

Referring more particularly to the details of the invention'the numeral. 1 designates a railroad truck in which the features of the present invention are capable of being embodied. This truck is 'ofthe type commonly employed to effect the portable support of a car body 2 andconsists essentially 'of a bolster 3, which is swiveled in the usualmanner to the under side of the body 2, the said truck further embodying the usual side frames l, which are supported from springs 55, the latter having their opposite ends suitably secured to balancing rails 6,'who se outer ends rest as usual uponjthe journal boxes 7 of the wheel axles 8, the said axles being equipped with the usual wheels 9 adapted to operate over a track 10. The construction thus far described 'is common to railway trucks generally, and therefore since'the same are not claimed in a broad sense, it is not believed to be necessary to dwell in greater length upon their specific construc-' tion and operation.

The present invention consists essentially in providing an improved pedestal construction 11 for the purpose of retaining the journal box 7 and associated parts inproper operative relationship. As before stated, it has been customary to bolt the pedestal conv struction to theside frames 4, but thi s cjon' struction has been found to be defective in thatvthe connectionsbetween the pedestal.

construction and the frames are quite likely to become broken or by continued operation, and the jolting and arring incident thereto, to work lose, 'thereby resulting iii-releasing 1 v the pedestal construction and allowing the latter to assumesuch positions'asto render further operation of the truck dangerous, Therefore,'t0 eliminate the use of such elements, the pedestal construction 11 comprising the present invention consists in the provision of a pair of spaced pedestals 12 for each end of the axles 8. As shown in Figure 6, the upper end of each of the pedestals is formed to provide a substantiallyT shaped member 13, whichin turn is adapted to be snu d receivedwithin a corres vondin l shaped socket 14 provided in the under face of each e'nd; of the sideframes 4E. Preferably, the pedestals are off-substantially longitudinal formation and have their outer sides open as at 15; by this construction the said ploy, asshown in Figure 3, blocks 17, which are provided with wedge faces 18, the latter being adapted to engage with similarly formed facesprovided upon the inner surface of the pedestals 12, and by being tightly drawn into engagement with said faces, it

I will be manifest that the said blocks 17 will tend toforce the pedestals apart and to thereby, maintain the same securely-rand effectively within the sockets 14. ,Tohold the blocks 17 in position, the latter may be formed to include vertically disposed threaded; studs 19, which-are adapted. to pass through open1ngs20 providedin the frames '4, the upper ends of said studs bei'ngadapted to receive nuts 21, which when tightened Wlll draw the blocks into binding engagement with thepedestals and will serve to maintain the latter spaced so thatthe same ,will be capable of receiving and securely retaining the journal box 7 and ancillary constructlon. Thus, by the formation of the pedestals and the internal sockets within the frames 4, a substantial and positive connection .is provided for the pedestals :and one wherein the use of bolts and nuts is to all intents and purposes eliminated.

It will be rest upon boxes and observed that'the blocks 17* will the. upper, surfaces .of the ournal accordlngly it will be impossible for S c blocks to become accidentally renioved from' their operative positions,'even if the nut 21 should workloo'se. ,Again, the journal boxes by being positioned between the pedestals will also serve to hold the latter within their sockets, and to prevent the same from becoming disconnected from association with V the frames 4.

In order tobrace the lowerparts of the pedestals and securely connect; the latter with the frameof the truck, 1 employ a plurality of pedestal braces 22.

a pair of which being providedfoifeach side of the truck 1, the outerends of each pair of said braCes'bemg adapted to beconnected with. the lower portions of the pedestals 12,

while the intermediate ends are adapted to be securely connected with one of the lateral extensions of the'bolster structure; To this These 7 braces are in the nature of metallic straps,

end, each of the braces 22 isprovidedwith apair ofireduced intermediate portions 23, which are adapted to be placed initially into sockets 2 l provided in the lower ends of the pedestals 12. Then, by drawing the pedestal braces longitudinally toward the center of the truck,v the wider portions 25 ofthesaid braces will be broughtinto engagement with the sockets 24', so that the braces will be se curely supporterjl in connection with the pedestals. The outer end of eacl brace is provided with a hook 26, which is disposed to enter the outerlpedestal 12 so as 'to prevent spreading ofthe {lower portion of the latter. The inner pedestalsare' secured to the braces tyne socketed construction described and also positively by means of clamps 27, the latter being formed so as to lie within the hollow portions ofj theinner pedestals and provided ,with an' aperture capableof aligning with registering openings provided in the-pedestals and braces,

whereby fastening elements 28 may be int passed through the said openings to securely we clamp thelassoeiated parts together. Also,

the clamps 27 maybe provided withfdepending nuts 29, vwhich receive fastening elements 30, said elements being adapted to be threaded into engagement with the under sides of the braces 22 vand serve in conjunction with the elements '28 to provide a rigid connection betweenith'e lowerends of 'the inner pedestals and the braces.

, By'this construction it will' jbe manifest that the pedestals-willbe 'rigidly confined between the frames 4 a nd thebraces 22, so that movement in anydirection on the part of said pedestals will ,be. .efl'ectively pre eluded, thereby enabling said pedestals to securely retain the journalling. vboxes 7 therein and to overcome the possibility of unduemovem'ent orvloss of. adjustment on dangers. I i

The inner the. partof thei pedestals I and consequent mes-i at mar a-a rigidly united to the bolster structure 3 by providing gagement with the projections 32 by means of U shaped frames 33, which surround said lugs and projections. This assembly is secured together by means of fastening devices 34, which pass longitudinally through aligned openings provided in the ends of the frames, the projections 32 and the lugs 31, the said fastening devices servingto draw the associated parts together and to assist in securely uniting the intermediate ends of the braces to the bolster structure. Also, vertical bolts may be utilized in this connection. Thus, by the provision of the braces, the pedestals will be substantially and firmly supported against all undue movement, and furthermore, this end has been accomplished without resorting to the use of any important fastening elements such .as threaded bolts. It is true that bolts have been employed in connecting the braces 22 with certainassociated parts, however, these bolts do not prominently enter into the construction of the truck, and in the event that the same should become accidentally loosened or displaced, the removal thereof would have no marked effect upon the rigid.- ity and strength of the pedestal structure.

In view of the foregoing, it is believed that the operation and construction of the invention will be readily understood by those versed in the art, and therefore a more extended explanation relative thereto has been accordingly omitted. It will be understood,

however, that the invention is not limited to the precise structural details set forth, but on the contrary the same will include all such equivalent structures as may be said to fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

hat is claimed is:

1. In a truck, a frame, said frame having the ends thereof formed to include longitudinal sockets, spaced pedestals arranged to be received within said sockets by longitudinally separating the pedestals, a spacing block positioned between the upper ends of said pedestals and operating to maintain the latter positively in spaced relationship, and braces secured to the lower ends of said pedestals and serving to connect the latter positively with said frame.

2. In a truck, a frame, said. frame having sockets formed in the ends thereof, pedestals removably supported in conjunction with said sockets, braces arranged to be slidably moved into locked engagement with the lower ends of said pedestals, and means for fastening the intermediate ends of said braces to said frame.

3. In a truck, a frame having socketed ends, spaced pedestal members arranged to be removably received within the sockets of said frame, said pedestals having the lower ends thereof formed with sockets, and braces arranged to be slidably moved into locked engagement with the pedestal sockets and to unite the lower ends of said pedestals positively to said frame.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

SAMUEL A. MATHERS. 

